The opening match will be between the organizers and the police
12 teams, including 3 foreigners, will participate in the 24th edition of the national and international inter-club invitational Aha-Rara Pokhara Gold Cup football tournament, which will be conducted by Sahara Club Pokhara from Tuesday to February 3. The club held a press conference in Pokhara on Sunday and informed that all the preparations for the competition have been completed.
Nepal's 'A' division clubs are participating in the tournament along with teams from India, UK, Uzbekistan. The opening match of the tournament will be held at Pokhara Stadium between the organizers and the departmental Nepal Police Club.
Before the final on February 3, the first semi-final will be held on January 30 and the second semi-final on February 1. On the side of Group A, there are Nepal Police, NRT, Church Boys United, Tribhuvan Army Club and UK's Brigade Boys Club along with the organizers. Among them, UK and Army will directly play the first and third quarterfinals respectively.
Group 'B' has APF, Machindra, India's Thunderbolt North United, Sankata, Three Star and Uzbekistan's Black Bulls Football Club. Tournament coordinator Purna Bahadur Gurung said that among them, Three Star and Uzbekistan will directly play the second and fourth quarter-finals respectively. According to the general secretary of the club, Ramjiprasad Adhikari, it is estimated that the
competition will generate 15.1 million income, 1.42 million expenses and 8.80 thousand rupees. The winner of the last edition is Tribhuvan Army and the runner-up is Three Star. This year's winner will get 12 lakh 1 thousand and the runner-up will get 6 lakh 1 thousand.
vs. Established in 2055, Sahara Club Pokhara has been doing social work through football. Aha-Rara is the only ongoing football tournament in Nepal.
The main objective of the tournament is to develop Pokhara as a hub for international sports tourism as well as to provide an excellent platform to young talented football players, said Keshavraj Baral, president of the club. The club has spent the surplus money from the tournament on the Surya Bahadur KC Memorial Sahara Football Academy. At present, 30 children from 16 districts are dependent in the academy.
